The only positive aspect is that a small portion of the database is new.
Security researchers have uncovered an enormous database containing a staggering 26 billion leaked records on an unsecured webpage. Referred to as the “Mother of all Breaches,” it is believed to be the largest breach discovered to date, according to Forbes. The database includes sensitive information obtained from various sites, including Twitter, Dropbox, and LinkedIn. Researchers from Security Discovery and Cybernews made the discovery, reporting that the database spans 12 terabytes, as stated in Forbes’ report.
The research team suspects that the database was compiled by a malicious actor or data broker.
“Threat actors could exploit the aggregated data for a wide range of attacks, including identity theft, sophisticated phishing schemes, targeted cyberattacks, and unauthorized access to personal and sensitive accounts,” stated the researchers.
The leaked data also contains records of users from Chinese messaging giant Tencent and social media platform Weibo. Records from Adobe, Canva, and Telegram have also been identified.
Alarmingly, the researchers have discovered records from various US and other government organizations.
The only positive aspect is that a small portion of the database is new. According to Forbes, the researchers clarified that it consists mostly of compiled records from thousands of previous breaches and data leaks.
However, the concerning factor is that it includes numerous combinations of usernames and passwords. Cybercriminals can exploit this data for activities such as identity theft, sophisticated phishing schemes, targeted cyberattacks, and unauthorized access to personal and sensitive accounts.
“We should never underestimate what cybercriminals can achieve with such limited information. Victims need to be aware of the consequences of stolen passwords and take the necessary security measures in response,” advised Jake Moore, global cybersecurity advisor at ESET.
In 2019, an unsecured database created by Verifications.io leaked nearly one billion records. At the time, it was considered one of the largest and most damaging breaches ever.
Some of the other notable breaches include MySpace (360 million), Twitter (281 million), LinkedIn (251 million), and AdultFriendFinder (220 million).
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